HONOLULU — The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Senator Maile Shimabukuro, and Representative Jo Jordan, with support from Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii, City and County of Honolulu and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are holding a community workshop on Tuesday, January 26 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Kamehameha Schools Community Learning Center in Maili, to present the updated findings of the Lualualei Flood Mitigation Study.

The purpose of the workshop is to explain new, feasible alternatives to the earlier, more costly capital improvement projects first proposed after an earlier flood study in 2001. The workshop will be an opportunity for the community to discuss options for minimizing the flooding problems in the Pu‘uhulu, Pa‘akea, Ili‘ili, Mikilua and Hakimo areas. Senator Maile Shimabukuro and Representative Jo Jordan will be present to hear from residents and landowners. Refreshments will be served from 6:30 p.m.

The Lualualei drainage basin is located in Wai‘anae (West O‘ahu) and has experienced frequent and severe flooding, most notably in 1996 and 2011. In response to the 1996 flood event, the Lualualei Flood Study was completed in 2001. Recommendations of that comprehensive study were not implemented due to both cost and private land ownership issues.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (formerly the Hawaii State Civil Defense) at the end of 2012 jointly requested assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District, to conduct a technical study to update information from the 2001 study.

The current study is being conducted under the Corps’ Flood Plain Management Services (FPMS) Program authority, Section 206 of the 1960 Flood Control Act (PL. 86-645). It assesses existing conditions, and proposes more focused drainage improvement solutions that may be implemented.

The Kamehameha Schools Community Learning Center at Maili is located at 87-790 Kulauku St. in Waianae. For more information contact Rep. Jo Jordan, 586-8460 or repjordan@capitol.hawaii.gov